US bishops applaud Vatican official behind Kim Davis meeting

BALTIMORE (AP) – The nation’s Roman Catholic bishops gave standing ovations to the Vatican U.S. ambassador who was behind Pope Francis’ controversial meeting with Kim Davis.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano received the warm reception as he gave his customary address to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Vigano’s appearance Monday at the bishops’ annual Baltimore assembly is likely his last. He turns 75 in January, when he is required to submit his resignation to the pope.

Vigano had invited the Kentucky clerk to be among those the pope greeted in the Vatican embassy in Washington during Francis’ September visit to the U.S. Davis’ lawyer caused an uproar when he said the meeting was a papal endorsement of her refusal to issue same-sex marriage licenses. But the Vatican insisted it was not an endorsement.